Type bar restraining means



1952 w. A. ANDERSON 2,620,973

TYPE BAR RESTRAINING MEANS Filed Nov. 29, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 a /39 g //z M A w fl I ":5

' E 5 INVENTOR.

/ W4L TEA A. ANDERSON -vmmw Dec. 9, 1952 w. A. ANDERSON TYPE BAR RESTRAINING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 29, 1949 INVENTOR. WALTER A. ANDERSON BY 9 Patented Dec. 9, 1952 TYPE BAR RESTRAINI-NG MEANS Walter A. Anderson, Bridgeport, Conn .assignor to Underwood Corporation, New York, N. Y., a. corn orationof Delaware ApplicationNovemberZS, 1949, Serial No. 130,037

4 Claims.

This invention relates to accounting machines, and more particularly to means for preventing an "uncontrolled movement of the type bars thereof, during a total taking operation of the machine.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide means ,for retaining the type bars in their total printing positions until they are engaged by the type bar restoring devices provided in the machine for restoration to their normal inoperative position.

Another object is to devise a means "to 'prevent an uncontrolledjump of the type bars when, during a total taking operation, the register is disengaged from the type bars.

A further object is to provide a type bar retaining device which is operative only during cycles in which the type bars maybe released to rise uncontrolled to their highest printing 'posi'tion.

Still another object is to provide a simple and inexpensive device to prevent an upward propulsion of the type bars during a total cycle with consequent noise and machine vibration and the possibility of erroneous machine functioning.

With these and other objects. in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combination of parts, the important elements of which are herein .set forth in apreferred embodiment hereinafter described with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of this description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a left side elevation of an accounting machine embodying the present invention showing the parts thereof occupying their normal position,

Figure 2 is a front elevation showing principally the parts embodied in the present invention in their normal position,

Figure 3 is a fragmental front view showing certain of the parts seen in Figures 1 and 2,

Figure 4 is a left side elevation showing the parts comprising the present invention in the positions they assume immediately after the machine has started its return stroke during an item entering operation of the machine, and

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the parts in the positions they assume immediately after the machine has started its vreturn stroke during a total taking operation of the machine.

The invention is described herein as embodied in the well known vSundstrand Accounting iMachine disclosed in 'Patent No. $194,270 issued to from one order to another.

cludes a travellin paper carriage arranged to 2 Oscar J. Sundstrand on March .19, 1940, and :in Patent No. 2,209,240, issued to Oscar J. Sundstrand on July 23, 1940, to which reference may be had for details of construction not fully described and illustrated herein.

General Description The machine includes generally a plurality of type bars ranging in number from nine to thirteen, employed for computing and printing numerical values, which are raised .bylift springs to printing position during the first part of a machine cycle and are lowered to normalposition against the tension of the springs during the latter part of the machine-cycle by a 'con ventional motor-drive mechanism. The type bars carry adding and subtracting racks which cooperate with upper and lower crossfooters and the type bars are connected to actuate adding racks which cooperate with an upper and lower group of four registers each, all of the crossfooters and registers being provided with transfer devices for eiiecting the transfer of an amount The machine inactuate controls for conditioning the machine to effect either item entering or total taking operations automatically and also includes a key-board for controlling the printing positions of the type bars for item entering operations and for manually controlling total taking operations of the machine. Also included in the machine is a mechanism for equalizing the load upon the motor drive. This load equalizing mechanism cooperates with the structure of the present invention and is described and illustrated in applicants patent application, Serial ,No. 35,039, .filed June 24, 1948, now U. .8. Patent No. 2,493,799,, issued January 10, 1950.

Detail description type I9 in position to print .a selected numeral on a work sheet supported by a cylindrical platen 2B in a travelling paper carriage indicated generally at 2 I.

Connected at 22, Figures 4 and 5, to the slotted member 14 is a depending type bar extension 23 to which is affixed a slotted member 25 similar to member Id which engages a stud 25 in a lifting lever 26 pivoted on a shaft 21 fixed in lower frame members 28 and 28a attached to the machine base l3. Strong springs 29 between the levers 26 and the frame members 28 and 28a cooperate with the springs 18 in raising the type bars I!) to printing positions. The type bars Ill and their extensions 23 are each provided with extending arms 35 supporting adding racks 3i and subtracting racks 32 cooperating with the associated crossfooter adding wheels 33 and 34. Each of the adding wheels 33 and 34 is provided with lugs 35 cooperating with transfer members 36 and 31 for transferring amounts from one order to another during item entering operations and for arresting the rotation of the register wheels during total taking cycles as described in the aforementioned Sundstrand Patent 2,209,240.

Pivoted on the shafts l1 and 21 are two groups of levers 38 each lever carrying a stud 4!! engaging in a slot 4! in adding racks i2 and 43 for the register adding wheels 44 and 55 respectively.

The levers 38 are connected to levers It and 26 'by a stud 33 on lever 38 engaging in an enlarged notch in the rear ends of levers l8 and 26 and by springs 46 which yieldingly urge levers 38 to raise the adding racks Q2 and 43 for tens transfer purposes as described in the above Sundstrand Patent 2,2092%. Each of the register adding wheels M and 45 is provided with a lug i! cooperating with a lug d8 of a transfer slide 49, mounted for vertical movement between the adding racks 42 or 53 and normally tensioned downwardly by springs The transfer slides 48 are normally positioned with their lugs 48 opposite the shafts of the adding wheels 63 and 35 and in that position a shoulder 56 of slide 39 engages an ear 53 formed on the end of a-transfer lever. Levers 5! are pivotally supported on a shaft 52 and are tensioned clockwise as in Figure 1 by individual springs 55. Each lever 5| is provided with a formed ear 5'5 overlying a lug 58 forming part of the associated rack 42 or 43, to normally retain the racks $2 or 43 at their zero position, and in position to effect transfer from one register order to another. 7

The machine is actuated by an electric motor (not shown), which is started by the closing of asuitable switch mechanism and is coupled with a'cyclically operated actuating shaft 59 by a suitable clutch mechanism upon depression of a motor bar in the keyboard (not shown). The actuating shaft 59 is connected, by means of a lever 69 and link 6|, with the motor drive in such manner that the shaft is rocked first clockwise and then counter-clockwise through an arc of about 90 during each operation of the machine. Rigid on the actuating shaft 59 are spaced arms 52 carrying rollers e3 bearing on spaced identical cams 64 pivoted on the shaft 1?. Extending between the spaced identical cams 63 is a bar 65 overlying the forward arms of the type bar lifting members it and normally restraining the type bars in their lowered position.

A second bar 61 carried between two cams 53 pivoted on lower shaft 21 overlies the forward ends of levers 25 and is connected to bar 65 by a pair of depending links 66 to assist in restoring 4 the type bars Hi to and restraining them in their lowered positions.

The rise of the type bars l0 during an item entering operation is differentially arrested by means of stops 69 which may be selectively projected by means of a keyboard (not shown) into the path of vertical movement of rods 70 connected to tails H pivoted on the type bars ii).

Normally, the crossfooter adding wheels 33 and 36 remain engaged with their associated racks 31 or 32 at the completion of a machine operation. The register adding wheels 44 and 45 which are selected for entry in the machine operation remain engaged with their associated racks 42 or 43 while the non-selected registers remain disengaged. 7

During an item entering operation of the machine, as the actuating shaft 59 is rocked clockwise the rollers 63, hearing on the edge 12 of the cams-5d, retain the cams 64 and 68 and hence the type bars 10 in their lowered positions until any engaged register Wheels 33, 34, 44 and 45 are disengaged from their associated racks. Upon contact of the rollers 63 with the upper edges 74 of the cams 64, the cams 64 are rocked upwardly about their pivot I7, raising the bars 55 and 61. As the bars 65 and 6! rise, the type bars, urged by the springs l8 and 29, rise with them until the rods in abut the key set stops 69, which for the highest elevation of the bars occurs slightly before the actuating shaft 59 reaches the end of its clockwise movement.

To insure perfect alignment of the type bars Hi in printing position, a type aligner 15 is pivotally supported on a shaft 16 rigid in the machine frame members I2. The type aligner comprises a blade 11 for engagement with notches 18 provided in the type bars It). Aligner 15 is urged counterclockwise by a spring '19 and is under the control of a cam forming part of one of the arms 62 as shown in Sundstrand Patent No. 2,194,270, issued March 19, 1940, the aligner being part 321 shown in Figure 34 of said patent. Near the end of the clockwise movement of actuating shaft 59 and after all type bars Ill have been positioned, the type aligner 15 is released to engage with its blade H the notch 18 in each of the type bars 19 which is positioned to the rear of blade .71 to depress all of the type bars slightly and align the type l9 in printing position and the teeth in the racks 3!, 32, 42 or 43 for engagement by the adding wheels 33, 34, 44 or 45. The engagement of the type aligner i5 is followed immediately by the release of the hammers 8|, pivoted at 82 and urged by springs 83, to strike the type 19 and cause printing of the set up number on the work sheet. At the start of the return stroke of shaft 59, the hammers 8| are restored, any selected adding wheels are engaged with their associated racks, and the type aligner I5 is returned to its normal position, as shown in Figure 1. The type bars are thereafter restored to their normal or lowered position by the bars 65 and 61 to add or subtract the amount in the crossfooter or to add it in the selected register. It is to be noted that the adding wheels 33, 34, 44 or 45 remain engaged with their associated racks to the end of the machine cycle.

During a total taking operation however, the selected adding wheels 33, 34, M or 45 are not disengaged from their racks and remain engaged with the racks during the forward or clockwise movement of the actuating shaft 59 whereupon the racks .rotate the adding wheels during the rising of'lthe type bars, until a lug 35in the crossfooter Padding wheels 33 or 34, or "the lug 41 in the register adding wheels 44 or 45 abuts its respective transfer member 36, 31 or 49, to arrest the'rise of the type bars H]. As in the case of item entering, the type aligner 15 is released to engagethe'notch 18in the type bars l0, and the hammers BI are released to print the amount set up by the engaged crossfooter or register. Following the printing of the amount, the 'ad'ding Wheels are disengaged from their associated racks in order that they may be retained in their zero position, the hammers 8| are restored to a position clear of the type I 9, and the {type aligner 15 is disengaged from thenotches 18 'inthe type bars 10 so that the type bars maybe freely returned to-their normal lowered position by means of the bars 65 and-61.

'Since normally these machines are provided with a'ba'nk of nine to thirteen type bars, it can be readily seen that ordinarily only a few of' -the bars'are utilized during item entering and only on rare occasions are the full number utilized for total printing. During item entering operations, therefore, the type bars I!) not used for printing are retained substantially in their normal lowered position by the abutment'o'f their rods 13 with the underside of a lockingplate 84. During'total taking operations the locking plate 84 is withdrawn from its position overlying the "rods 16 in a manner to 'be later described, leaving all of "the type bars free to rise upon the disengagement of the type aligner 15 from the notches 18 in the type barsand disengagement of the register wheels from their racks. In the prior machines, due to the urge of the springs I8 and 29 to raise the type'bars, upon the disengagement of thetype aligner and engaged adding wheels, the type bars'were propelled'upwardly at a high speed, until they struck the downwardly moving bars 65 and 61. Upon impact of the rising bars and the downwardly moving bars 65 and 61, a vibration was transmitted through the arms of the type bar lifting members [6 and 26 to their "supporting shafts l1 and 21, through the machine base I 3 and the register frame members 85 to the'transfer members 43, causing those members to vibrate'vertically between their supporting members 85. The extent and duration of the'vib'ration varied with the force of the impact so that with theheavier blows, the vertical vibration of transfer members 49 was sometimes sufficient to raise shoulder 56 above the ear 53 of lever 5|. This allowed lever 5| to cam member 59 upwardly and would in some types of operations cause a misoperation of the machine. Also, the impact of the type bar levers l6 and 25 with bars 65 and 61 tended to loosen the studs 15 and 2B and to cause excessive wear on shafts I1 and 21.

The present invention provides a means to prevent the upward movement of the type bars I0 by the springs l8 and 29 after a total taking operation which'means is inoperable during item entering operations and is effective during total taking operations of the machine. This means comprises, Figures 4 and 5, a bracket 81 which is rigidly secured to the machine frame 23 and 28a in front of the type bars 10, a central portions 81a of the'bracket serving to guide the lower end of the type bars 10. A shaft 88 is fixed between th'e'end plates of bracket 81 and pivotally supports-a yoke 89. A square stud 90 secured in an arm of yoke 89 is normally engaged in no'tchel of *a latch member 182 pivoted 'at'93 in the bracket 81 and tensionedl'into engagement with stud 98 by a spring 94 stretched between latch 92 and a rod 95 fixed in the bracket 81. Pivoted 'on shaft 38 and spaced apart by collars 96, see also Figurer2, are a plurality of depending detent pawls STretained in alignment with the type barextensions 23 by means of set screw c01- lars 98, Figure 2, and =tensioned by individual springsllw between their'front-ends androdtS to normally bear against a shaft 99 secured in yoke 89. Each of the type bar extensions 23 is provided with a plurality of notches NH positioned therein in direct relation with the notches 18 for receiving the type bar aligner 15, the type 19 and the pawls 91. Slidably -connected to latchingmember 92 by means of a stud 132 in the member and slot I03 is a linkl M, the link 104 being pivoted at [B5 to a bracket liltisecured to the type bar aligner 1-5. Pawl 91 are normally restrained fromengagement with the type-bar extensions 23 by'the shaft 99 of yoke 39 since the yoke is latched in its counter-clockwiseposition by latching member 92.

During cycling of the machine for either item entering or total taking, and upon release of the type bar aligner 15 by the cam 89 for engagement with the notches 18 in the type bars Iii, the latching member 92 is rocked upwardly about its'pivot 93 by the raising of the link I04 by the bracket we. The square stud 9B in the yoke 89 is-thereby released to move toward engagement with a second notch m1 in latching member e2 under the urge of the springs we acting through the pawls 91 against the shaft 9e.

During item entering operations of the machine, the engagement of the pawls 91 and notches it! would be useless since the type bars it) are prevented from upward unrestrained movement by the engagement of their rods 1 with the set pins 69 and plate 84. To prevent such engagement with the resultant wear, provision is made to permit full release of the detents 521 only during total taking cycles.

To this end a member [$38 provided with slots we is mounted for vertical slidable movement on studs H-fi of a bracket IH secured on the machine frame 28 at H2, Figure 2, and to a fixed type bar guide comb H3, at H4. The lower end H5 of the member I63 is forwardly extended to normally lie to the rear of and in the path of movement of shaft 9?! of the yoke 89, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, so that upon the release of the stud as by the latching member 92, as the result of the movement of the type aligner 15 into the notches 18 in the type bar, the yoke 89 and pawls $1 are rocked by the springs I30 until the shaft 99 abuts the extension H5 of the member 138, to hold the pawls 91 just short of engagement with the notches IGI in the type bar extensions 23, as is illustrated in Figure 4. Whil in this position the type bars Ill and their extension 23 are easily lowered by the bars 65 and 61 to add or subtract an amount in the adding wheels 33, 35, M or 45.

During the taking of a total from ei her of the crossfooters or registers, the member 108 is raised to clear the shaft 99 and permit engagement of the pawls 91 and the notches Hll when yoke 89 is released by operation of the type aligner 15. A total may be printed from a crossfooter or a register by forward movement of slides I20 and l2l, Figure'2, respectively. These slides are moved either automatically under control of the carriage 21 through push rods H6, H1, Figure 1, and bell cranks H8 pivoted on shaft H or manually by control keys on the keyboard (not shown), as more fully set forth principally in Figure 2'? and the description pertaining thereto in the above noted Sundstrand Patent No. 2,194,270. Each of the total control slides I29 and i2! is provided with a depending lug I22, Figure 2, which during the forward movement of the slides, moves levers i213 and I24 clockwise about their common pivot 125 in the machine base i3. Mounted in a frame I25 supporting the stops as, Figures 1 and 2, is a shaft in on which is pivoted a yoke i2 3 connected at H9, Figure 1, with the lock plate 84 and provided with a depending arm 53! During the forward movement of the slides iZil and 12E and the consequent pivoting of the levers H3 and 12 3, the lever 323 strikes the depending member 539 to pivot the yoke 128 clockwise, as seen in Figure l, and withdraw the lock plate 84 from its position overlying the rods iii to enable the type bars it to rise freely to their total printing positions. The lever i213 is connected by means of a link iti with a lever !32, pivoted at 33 on the machine base I3, and carrying a pin 53%. Pivotally supported at I35 on the lower frame member 28:; is a bell crank 235 having a slotted end embracing a stud is? in the vertically slidable member 198 and provided with a slot 538, Figure 1, embracing the pin il3 l in the lever 132. A spring Hi9, Figure I, normally tensions the bell crank i155 countar-clockwise to hold the member its in position to block the movement of the shaft $33 as shown in Figure 1. Upon the pivoting of the lever i2 i, during the forward movement of the slides I25 and iii, the lever 532 is rotated inthe op- Josite direction, to rock the bell crank I35 clockwise against the urge of the spring 139 and raise the member H38 to its upper position with the extension H5 thereof above and out of the path of movement of the shaft 9c of the yoke 89, as shown in Figure 5. With the member are so raised, the release of the type aligner F5 to engagement with the notches id in the type cars it and the consequent raising of the latch member 82 by the link i5 3, frees the yoke which is rocked by the springs i253 until the square stud 9t abuts the second notch till in the latch member $2 and the pawls 91 engage the notches [iii in the type bar extensions To insure simultaneous movement of the levers 523 and 52 upon the forward movement of either of the slides Hit and iii theyare tied together by means of a stud Hit-,- Figure 2, rigid in the lever E25.

After printing of the total, the pawls 9? retain the type bars H1 in the positions assumed for printing the total until the type bars it are engaged by the bars 55 and El for restoration to their normal or lowered position. Due to the stud H32 and slot H23 connection between latch member s2 and the link ltd, the retention of latch member 92 in its upper position does not prevent the-usual disengaging movement of the type aligner l5 shortly after the start of the return of shaft 59. During the return of the type bars iii to their normal or lowered position, the pawls 9? ride idly over the notches ill! in the type bar extensions 23.

During the lowering of the type bars it by the bars 65 and 5?, and approximately at the time of their return to the zero printing position, the pawls 5'? are disengaged from the notches [ill and returned to their normal position as shown in Figure 1. This is accomplished by utilizing the movement of a slide it! comprising a part of the load equalizing mechanism previously referred to. The slide H3! is connected at M2 to a swinging lever Hi3 pivoted at I44 on the ma-' chine frame 28a. A roller I45 on the lever I43 engages cam edges Hi6 and 147 of the cam 68'. The slide it! extends forwardly of the machine and is tensioned into engagement with a roller 1-23, supported in the machine frame 28a, by means of a spring 159. During the early part of the clockwise stroke of the shaft 59 the cam 68 is rocked about its pivot 2! by the bar 51 causing the cam edge MB of cam E8 to move the slide Ml rearwardly of the machine, the cam edge i 31 thereafter retaining the slide it! in its rearward position until the latter part of the counterclockwise stroke of the main shaft 59.

Near the end of the return stroke of cam 68, slide I 4| is moved forwardly by the combined action of cam 68 and the camming action of spring [t9 and roller I48 to engage an ear I56 on the lower arm of yoke 89, see Figure 3. Such engagement restores the yoke 89 to its normal position permitting the latch 92 to be pulled by its spring 94 to a lower position with its shoulder 91 in front of stud 99 to retain yoke 89 in restored position. During such restoration of yoke 89, shaft 99 thereon engages the lower arms of; all the detents 91 and moves them to their in.-- effective positions out of engagement with the type bar extensions 23. Slide I88, previously released by the restoration of total control slide 529 or 32!, drops to its blocking position in front of shaft 99 when the shaft is moved from under the extension H5.

The pawls 9'! are thus released during the sec-. 0nd half of a total cycle to engage the lower ends of the type bars It to prevent an unrestrained rise of the type bars and are returned to their normal ineffective position at the end of that cycle. eration, pawls 97 are retained in their ineffective positions throughout the entire cycle, thus reducing noise and wear on the parts.

Many variations are possible in constructional details without any departure from the spirit of the present invention. The disclosure is of a preferred embodiment only and is not to be taken as limiting the scope of invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of differentially positionable type bar's, cyclically operable means to yieldingly advance and positively retract said type bars, manually settable stop means to differentially arrest the advance of said type bars, a register, total control means operable to enable said register to difierentially arrest the advance of said type bars, a plurality of detent pawls, yielding means to move said detent pawls into engagement with said type bars to prevent further advance of said type bars, a normally latched bail restraining said detent pawls from such engagement, aligning means for said type bars, a member operated,

register, movable register actuators controlled by During other cycles of machine op-' said type bars, cyclically operable means to control the advance and return of said type bars, indexable means to differentially arrest said type bars in their advancing movement, and function control means to determine engagement of said register with said register actuators to arrest an advance movement of said type bars in a total representing position, the combination of a plurality of detents to prevent movement of said type bars in an advancing direction, a bail engaging said detents, a latch retaining said bail in a position to hold said detents away from said type bars, cyclically operated latch release means to withdraw said latch for a short interval, members urging said detents into engagement with said type bars, a stop engageable with said bail to arrest movement of said detents before their engagement with said type bars, a linkage operable from said function control means to shift said stop to an ineffective position with respect to said bail and an arm driven by said cyclically operable means to return said bail and said detents to the latched position.

3. In an accounting machine of the class described having a plurality of type bars normally in a home position and differentially advanceable therefrom, settable indexing means to limit advance of said type bars, cyclically operating means to free said type bars for advancing movement from and to return them to the home position, a register, and function control means to determine engagement of said register with said type bars to limit the advancing movement thereof, the combination of a plurality of detents, each yieldingly urged into engagement with one of said type bars to prevent an advancing movement of said type bar, a bail engaging all of said detents, a cyclically operated arm connected to said cyclically operating means and eiiective to hold said bail and to thereby hold said detents in a non-engaging position while said type bars are in said home position, a latch for said bail, means to release said latch after said type bars have reached their differentially advanced positions, a stop to arrest said bail prior to engagement of said detents and said type bars, and a connecting means between said stop and said 10 function control means to move said stop to an ineffective position upon operation of said func tion control means.

4. In an accounting machine of the class described, a register, a plurality of register actuators, means resiliently urging said actuators from a home position, a power operated memoer engaging said register actuators and cyclically operated to free said actuators for advance from and to restore them to the home position, function control means to determine engagement of said register with said register actuators prior to advancing movement of said actuators to limit movement of the actuators to a total representing position and to disengage said register prior to return of said actuators to their home position, a plurality of detents, one for each register actuator and engageable with said actuators, a pivotal bail engaging all of said detents and normally holding them in ineffective position, and means to release said bail and permit engagement of said detents with said actuators comprising an arm driven by said power operated member to hold said bail in the detent disengaging position so long as said register actuators are in the home position, a latch cyclically operated while said actuators are in a most advanced position and a stop member shiftable to an ineffective position by said function control means upon operation thereof.

WALTER A. ANDERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,028,162 Vincent June 4, 1912 1,705,982 Lasker Mar. 19, 1929 1,812,161 Mapel June 30, 1931 1,901,153 Dunker Mar. 14, 1933 2,181,975 Lee Dec. 5, 1939 2,194,270 Sundstrand Mar. 19, 1940 2,209,240 Sundstrand July 23, 1940 2,493,799 Anderson Jan. 10, 1950 

